According to Italian media outlet Gianluca Di Marzio, Bologna have opened talks with Manolo Gabbiadini's agent about a move back to the stiker's home country.
The report suggests that Bologna are preparing for the fact that their current striker Simone Verdi is being targetted by Napoli and if he wants to leave then they are looking at Gabbiadini as a replacement and have already held preliminary talks with the players agent.
There is no suggestion that Saints have given their permission for these talks, but this is the modern game and there is no real way of monitoring and stopping agents talking to clubs about their clients not just in transfer windows but outside of them, indeed this is now normal practice, but there are usually unwritten rules that the clubs and agents keep to that are occasionally flaunted as liverpool did with Virgil Van Dijk back in the summer.
The price is being suggested as around the £14 million or so Saints paid a year ago, although this figure seems to be suggested only as it is his current valuation on various football statistic web sites.
The question is whether Saints will be prepared to let him go, Gabbiadini's career seems to have stalled at Saints, not because of his undoubted talent but because of the formation played by Mauricio Pellegrino that just doesn't suit his strengths.
That has lead to the goals drying up so far this season he has stated 9 Premier League games plus another 11 as sub but has scored only 3 goals, the last of these being his 2 goal burst against Newcastle back in October over 3 months ago.
As mentioned this is due to the tactics employed by the manager rather than the skill of Gabbiadini who despite having to play in some soul destroying games has never given any less than 100%.
If Saints do let him go then it will be dependant on them signing another striker and even then it would still leave them a little short in striking options at last till the return of Charlie Austin which is likely to be at least six weeks away.